Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, is asking the public to come up with ideas for the classic English dishes and international cuisine that children should learn to cook. Mr Balls said: “Teaching kids to cook healthy meals is an important way school scan help to produce healthy adults. My mum was passionate about all this and bought me my first Delia Smith book.”

Here, Fiona Beckett, author of Beyond Baked Beans and The Healthy Lunchbox, suggests the eight dishes she thinks should be taught to 11 to 14-year-olds

* Spaghetti bolognese

* A risotto

* A stir fry

* Easy, all-in-one roast chicken (using chicken pieces rather than a whole bird) or baked chicken with lemony potatoes (see recipe below)

* A healthy, crunchy salad

* Homemade hoummos or gado gado (peanut dip) with raw vegetables

* A frittata (see recipe for potato and pea frittata below)

* Fruit compote (as a base for a crumble or a healthy breakfast with yoghurt and granola)

RECIPES

BAKED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC AND LEMONY POTATOES

A really easy oven-baked dish that uses cheaper chicken pieces so you can afford to buy free-range

Serves 4

4 medium to large potatoes (about 600-700g)

2-3 tbsp olive oil plus a little soft butter

1 large lemon, preferably unwaxed

2-3 cloves of garlic

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme or 1 tsp dried oregano

4 chicken quarters (about 1kg in total) or 1kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, preferably free-range

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6

Peel and cut the potatoes into slices (slightly thicker than a pound coin). Generously smear a roasting tin with soft butter or olive oil and lay the potato slices in a single layer over the base. Season with salt and pepper. Cut half the lemon into thin slices, halve them and lay the pieces over the potatoes. Peel and finely slice the garlic and strip the leaves from the rosemary or other herbs and scatter them over the top. Pour over a couple of tablespoons of water.

Cut any loose bits of skin off the chicken and lay them skin-side down over the potatoes. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon over the chicken, drizzle over a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for half an hour then turn the chicken pieces over, spoon the pan juices over them, season again with salt and pepper. Turn the oven down to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and continue to cook for about 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is well browned and the potato cooked through. Spoon off a couple of tablespoons of the cooking juices about 10 minutes before the chicken is ready to crisp up the potatoes. Remove the lemon slices when you serve.

This tastes good with any green vegetable such as broccoli, green beans or peas or with a salad.

POTATO AND PEA FRITTATA

A frittata - an open omelette - is a great way to use left-over veg after an evening meal. It can be served warm with a salad or cold in a lunchbox

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

Half a bunch of spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced or a small onion, peeled and finely chopped or a trimmed and finely chopped leek

175g cooked new potatoes cut into small cubes

About 55g cooked or thawed frozen peas

About 55g lightly steamed broccoli or courgette chopped small

5 large fresh free-range eggs

25g freshly grated parmesan or grana padano

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a grill on medium heat. Quite separately, heat the oil in a small (20cm) frying pan and fry the chopped onion gently for a minute or two until softened. Add the cubed potatoes, peas and broccoli, stir and heat through without browning for another 3-4 minutes. Beat the eggs, add the parmesan and season with black pepper. Turn up the heat under the vegetables for a minute then pour in the egg mixture. Using a palatte knife or round-bladed knife lift the sides of the frittata so the liquid egg falls back underneath. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the underside of the frittata is nicely browned.

Pop the pan under the grill for another 4 minutes or so until the remaining liquid egg has puffed up and lightly browned and the top is firm. Slip the frittata on to a plate and cool for 10 minutes if eating immediately or leave to get cold and refrigerate. Serve cut into wedges or chunks.

* Other good ingredients for a frittata are chopped, fried bacon, ham or chorizo and peppers

More recipes from Fiona Beckett can be found at www.beyondbakedbeans.com

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